OF THE BERBERS. 451 



different from those of the Moslems. When tliey address 

 the Divinity, they strip as naked as decency permits, and 

 stand erect with one hand behind the hack. They are a 

 white people, very intelligent and keen in trade ; they are 

 very industrious, and are undertakers of all the baths and 

 ndlls in Algiers. They are very clannish, they mutually as- 

 sist each other, and invioial)ly keep each other's secrets. 

 They never appeal to the Algerine tribunals for justice: all 

 disagreements among themselves are amicably settled, or by 

 their Amin. 



0|)portunilies are so rare from here. Sir, that I determined 

 to send you these notes just as I received fhem. I have ta- 

 ken measures to obtain furtlier and more exact information 

 respeciing tliis interesting people, which I will not fail to 

 communicate as occasions occur. My Jew assures me that 

 not one of the enclosed list of words has any affinity with 

 the Arabic. By the first convenient occasion I shall send 

 you corrected duplicates of all I have before written upon 

 this subject. 



P. S. — On applying to major Rennell's map, I find that 

 they have been measurably correct in stating the distance 

 of the country of the Mozabees from Algiers, and that they 

 must be the identical Tuarycks. A wealthy nierchant of 

 this nation is to visit mc in a few days, when 1 hope I shall 

 be al)le to ascertain this fact, and possibly, in consequence, to 

 solve a philological prol)Iem of the utmost importance. 



10/// October. From a T/ialcb of the nation of the linri 

 Movinh or Mozabis., 1 have learned that these |)eople inhabit 

 a district of the desert, stirroimded l)y high, rugijed, barren 

 mountains, twenty days journey of a caravan south of Al- 

 giers ; that the nation is formed of live towns or districts, viz. 

 Gardica, Birigan, Warsala, Enijensa, and Xadrama. rach of 

 which is governed i)y a council of nota'tlcs, elcct'Ml l)y the 

 people. 'I'heirs is a barren countrv. producing little clst^ of 

 value than dates, 'fhey have no intercourse with the inte- 

 rior of Africa, but through C.adamis afid Tafilet. Fn thoir 

 mountains there arc mines of gold. 'I'hey profess Islamism. 



